A Cruel World
by HiroEB
Summary: One shot. Roses do not grow on Arus. Hints of Allura x Keith.


Disclaimer: Voltron and all related characters (Allura, Keith, etc.) are property of WEP. No profit was made from their use.

Since the response to Luminous was positive, I decided to try another K/A story. I know it's on the short side, sorry about that. Maybe I'll come back to this fic and add more detail latter.

The Arusian summer had been cruel this year. The oppressive heat had dried out the spirit of every living being on that world. People trudged through the streets muttering curses at the sun, beast of burden mimicked their masters as they did their labors in misery, and the plants that managed to grow often wilted and died.

Princess Allura stood on a balcony, once again unable to sleep. The temperature was almost as unbearable during the night as it was in the day. Dressed in only a short light dress, and her blonde hair almost plastered to her skin with sweat, it was obvious that even she was subject to the heat wave. Despite this, she did not mind the heat, nor did she feel tied down by it. When one was burdened by a much greater force, one could easily ignore something so trivial. This intense weather would pass, but what was oppressing her would loom over Allura like a black specter forever.

"My world, Arus, are punishing me? Are you trying to tell me something? Or do your feelings reflect my own?" asked Allura grazing at the night sky. She just wanted an answer to why her life was going like it was, and she was willing to ask anyone or anything for it.

Sadly, the darkened sky had nothing to offer her. No moon, no stars, not a single sound or sign, just cold black silence. That was how awful Arus was to its princess.

The tale of love never meant to be had been acted out before throughout the centuries on countless worlds. Her story was no different, she supposed. Her story was that of a princess falling in love with a commoner. That commoner, who was anything but in her eyes, happened to be the captain of the Voltron Force, Keith.

As far as she could see, Keith had done everything to be worthy of her. He had saved her, protected her, and served her with unwavering loyalty. Not only that, but he had proven himself to be brave, honest, caring, and wise on several occasions. One would think that her subjects would have no qualms about their Princess being with one of the people responsible for the salvation of their planet. However, they did have qualms about it. Everywhere Allura look for support, she only found opposition to what her heart felt.

The ancient lawmakers wanted only royal blood in the Arusian family tree.

Her people, who slavishly followed the traditions of old, wanted the same.

Coran wanted a marriage that would produce a strong alliance with a powerful planet.

Nanny wanted her to marry someone of good breeding.

Allura gazed down at the garden in the castle courtyard below. Before the horrible weather began, she had several red rose plants put in the garden. Trying to give herself hope, she told herself that if the roses survived, her love would well. Each roses that had boomed was now slowly turning brown as the heat slowly choked them to death.

Arus had been the cruelest of all to Allura.

**  
**

Suddenly the night heat seemed to warp around her as if to smother her. To her horror, Allura began to find it hard to breathe. Before her mind could register what was happening, she began to fall down in a light headed daze. The floor of the balcony rush forward when Allura felt herself caught by someone.

"Allura, Allura!" cried Keith as he lifted Allura to her feet. "Are you all right? You shouldn't be out here like this."

Allura saw Keith's concerned expression and couldn't help but smile. Once again he had saved her. Looking at him, she felt the sudden urge to tell Keith exactly how much she loved him. Surely they could find a way to defeat the tyrannical heat that surrounded them. But the image in her mind of the dying roses served as a reminder of the heartless reality.

Like roses, love like theirs' did not grow on Arus. The soil did not nurture it and the weather destroyed it. From the moment the seed was planted, it was doomed. All Allura could do about it was weep.


End file.
